Ments



(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 1.

F. H. BALL.

OUT-OPP VALVE GEAR.

No. 454.447. Patented June 23, 1891.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets -Sheet 2.

P. H. BALL.

GUT-OFF VALVE GEAR.

No. 454,447. Patented June 23, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK II. BALL, OF ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS,TO THE BALL & IVOOD COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

CUT-OFF-VALVE GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,447, dated June 23,1891.

Application filed May 16, 1890. Serial No. 352,031. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK H. BALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Erie,in the county of Erie and State ofPennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gut-Oif-ValveGears for Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable oth-.

ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of steamengine-valve gears in whichthe action of the steam-valve is varied by shifting the position of theeccentric or crank pin which moves it; and it consists in certainimprovementsinthe construction of the same, as will be hereinafter fullyset forth, and pointed out in claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the flywheel of a steam-engine withmy improved valve-gear in place therein, the main springs of the samebeing omitted, as the improvements, hereinafter to be described, in noway relate thereto, and any of the many well known forms of springsmaybe used. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section view, taken on the line m 00in Fig. 1, the balls and springs being omitted. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation view of the eccentric disk and yoke with the side plate Eremoved. Fig. i is a horizontal section view of the parts shown in Fig.3 below the line 3 3 and having the side plate E shown in place.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The construction and operation are as follows:

The fly-balls and main springs may be any desired construction.

My invention relates wholly to the construction of the valve-gear andnot to the appliances by which it is moved.

I show balls B hung on the fly-wheel A and connected with the valve-gearby links 0, and I also show an auxiliary spring J and dashpot K, whichare used in my engines 5 but these parts do not constitute any part ofmy present invention. The valve-gear that is to say, the parts by whichthe valve is moved weights.

and its movements varied-consists of an eccentric disk G, which issecured to the end of the hub of the fly-wheel by bolts which passthrough the countersunk holes 9 and tap into the hub a yoke D,whichembraces the ecce11 tric disk G, a face-plate E, which is bolted to theside of the yoke D, and a crank-pin F or its equivalent-to wit, aneccentric or a camon the side of the face-plate E.

The eccentric disk G is shown as bolted to the end of the hub of thefiy-wheel; but it may be cast solid with it, or it may be keyed to theshaft and be distinct from the fly-wheel; but however it may be itshould move integrally with the shaft and fiy-wheel or other frame,which may support the weights and springs of the governor.

The yoke D, together with the face-plate E, embraces the eccentric diskG and is movable rotatively 011 said disk, and it is connected with thegovernor-weights by the links 0 C, which extend from the pins 0 C tosaid The yoke and plate D and E are moved rotatively upon the disk Gonly when the weights move in or out; but they have a constant rotatingmotion with the shaft II and disk G. A pin G on disk G and lugs D D onthe yoke D serve to limit the movement of the yoke upon the disk. InFig. 1 the pin and the lugs just referred to are shown in dotted lines,and the position of parts is that which they occupy when the engine isat rest. The pin G is shown in contact with the lug D The other extremeposition would bring the lug D into contact with the pin G.

In Fig. 1, It marks the center of motion of the shaft, and e the centerof motion of the yoke D and plate E as it is moved rotatively upon thedisk G by the action of the weights. The dotted line f represents thepath or orbit of the center of the crank-pin F as the shaft revolves,and the arc-line f f represents the path of the center of the crank-pinas it shifts from one extreme position to another by the action of theweights moving the yoke D and plate E upon the disk G.

The yoke D, plate E, and pin F, taken as a whole, correspond in functionwith the eccentric of an ordinarily-constructed shifting eccentricvalve-gear, but it differs quite materially from former constructions inits manner of application and operation. It will be observed that it hasits three centers, to wit: The center of the shaft h, the center of thecrank-pin, (or its equivalent, if used,) and its geometrical center, allwithin its periphery, and that when it moves to shift the position ofthe crank-pin it moves around its geomet rical center.

The beneficial results of this construction over former constructionsare, first, that lost motion can be taken up when it occurs by reason ofwear without changing the relative position of the three centers abovenamed; second, that wear can be more easily taken up, and, third,greater compactness and cheap ness of construction.

In the construction shown I have provided for the taking up Wear asfollows: The yoke D has bolts d, by which it can be clamped closely uponthe disk G. To enable this movement the bolts 9 which fasten the plate Eto the yoke, will pass through enlarged or elongated holes in the plateE, so that when they are loosened the two parts of the clamp can bemoved. If side wear occurs the plate E can be removed and the side ofthe yoke be scraped down.

What I claim as new is 1. In an automatic cut-off-valve gear forsteam-engines, the combination, substantially asset forth, of a plate ordisk bearing the crank-pin or other means for imparting reciprocatingaction to the valve, which is sup ported so as to move rotatively withthe main shaft, is pivoted so as to turn on its own center, which iseccentric to the shaft and has within its periphery the center line ofthe shaft, the center of the said crank-pin or its equivalent and itsown pivotal center, and fly-balls so connected with said plate or diskby links as to move the same pivotally as they move radiallv.

2. In an automatic cut-off-valve gear for steam-engines, thecombination, substantially as set forth, of the disk G, securedeccentrically on the shaft H, the yoke D,and plate E, concentricallyjournaled on said disk G, the crank-pin F or equivalent means forreciprocating the valve, secured on said plate eccentrically thereto andto the shaft H, and fiy-balls B, connected with said yoke and plate bylinks 0. I

3. In an automatic cut-ofi-valve gear for steam-engines, thecombination, substantially as set forth, of the disk G, securedeccentrically on the shaft II, the adjustable yoke D, and plate E, journaled' on said disk, stop-lugs D D on said yoke and a stop-pin G onsaid disk, a crank-pin F or its equivalent on said plate in a positioneccentric to said plate and to the shaft H, and fly-balls connected withsaid plate or yoke by links 0.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. BALL.

Witnesses:

JNo. K. HALLOOK, CLARK M. Conn.

